21st –27th May World Milk Day Week | What are the benefits of milk, what is milk good for? 

In line with the decision taken by the International Dairy Federation, "World Milk Day" was declared in 1956 to raise awareness about the importance of milk. This special day has been celebrated in Turkey since 1991. So how did world milk day come about? Here is what you need to know about this special day and the benefits of milk: 

The Emergence of World Milk Day 

Every year, May 21-27 is celebrated as Milk Week in order to raise awareness about the importance of milk for human life and to raise awareness of the society and to encourage milk consumption. "World Milk Day", which was decided to be celebrated in all countries within the federation in 1956 by the United Nations International Dairy Federation, started to be celebrated in our country since 1991. 

Milk Content 

Foods containing milk are products made with milk obtained from mammals. These can be listed as yoghurt, ice cream, cheese, kefir and dairy desserts made with these products. These foods are rich sources of many nutrients, especially high levels of phosphorus, calcium, protein, zinc, vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B12. 

Benefits of Milk 

The benefits of milk, which is rich in many nutrients, are as follows: 

• It is beneficial for dental health. 
• It is good for insomnia problems. 
• Balances cholesterol and hypertension. 
• It is beneficial for hair and nail health. 
• Since it is rich in calcium, it helps in bone development in children. 
• It creates a feeling of satiety. 
• It helps in lowering blood pressure. 

How Much Milk Should Children Drink? 

Cow's milk, which is one of the important nutrients after breast milk, creates a risk of allergy in some cases, despite its benefits. Therefore, it is important to have information about cow's milk allergy. Here's what you need to know about it: 

Cow's milk contains proteins that will only cause a reaction in people with milk allergies. The most important symptoms of milk allergy are discomfort in the stomach and intestinal tract. Swelling in the mucosa, itching in the throat and mouth, shortness of breath are other symptoms. Cow's milk allergy in children continues until the age of 5 at most. True cow's milk allergy is seen in 2-3% of babies. The allergy experienced in these babies almost disappears by the age of 3 years. Cow's milk consumption after the age of 1 is not a problem for babies who are fed with normal formula in their first feeding without any problems. In cow's milk allergy experienced by babies, vomiting or bloody diarrhea can be seen after milk consumption. In some cases, eczema occurs on the skin. In addition, the constant runny nose and congestion in the respiratory system, and respiratory distress that sounds like crowing are among the symptoms. In some cases, milk allergy can develop insidiously. In this case, the presence of IgE-type antibodies against cow's milk should be checked with a blood test. In case the test result is positive, it is of great importance to exclude all milk and dairy products from the diet. 

The amount of milk that children should drink daily is as follows: 

• 2-3 years old 2 glasses daily 
• 4-8 age group 2.5 glasses per day 
• 9 years and older 3 glasses per day 

But there are also children who do not want to drink milk at all. For these children, alternative foods to milk can be tried. By consuming 15-20 grams of cheddar or white cheese, 2 teaspoons of molasses and 2 teaspoons of tahini during the day and adding 1 egg a day for breakfast, calcium requirements are met. 

When to Start Cow's Milk? 

Recommended age for cow's milk is after 1 year. After 1 year, the baby can digest cow's milk. 

What is the Difference Between Fresh Milk and Long Life Milk? 

Fresh milk is obtained by heating fresh cow's milk at a temperature of 72 degrees for 15 seconds and purifying it from microbes. Fresh milk has a shelf life of 56 days when stored in the refrigerator. After this period, the milk goes rancid and spoiled. UHT, is heated at 150 degrees for a few seconds and cooled quickly. As long as these milks are not opened, they can be stored at room temperature for up to 36 months. However, some heat-sensitive vitamins can be destroyed in milk obtained with UHT. 

What is the Difference Between Cow's Milk and Breast Milk? 

There is a difference between breast milk and cow's milk in terms of the nutrients it contains. For example, cow's milk, which offers a similar content to breast milk in terms of energy content, is richer than breast milk in terms of the amount of protein it contains. Other nutritional differences between cow's milk and breast milk are as follows: 

In 100 g pasteurized semi-skimmed cow's milk, sodium 43 mg, potassium 156 mg, calcium 120 mg, magnesium 11 mg, phosphorus 94 mg, iron 002 mg, zinc 0.4 mg, chloride 87 mg and selenium 1 mg. 

Sodium 15 mg, potassium 58 mg, calcium 34 mg, magnesium 3 mg, phosphorus 15 mg, iron 0.07 mg, zinc 0.3 mg, chloride 42 mg and selenium 1 mg in 100 g of breast milk.